Phil will live to lie another day

We hate to say it, because we would love to see this compulsive liar pay, but Punxsutawney Phil will never see the inside of a jail cell.

Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser has chosen the wrong rodent to tangle with.

As a shocked world knows by now (HLN: "World shocked, shocked!"), Gmoser has indicted the veteran Pennsylvania weather forecaster for his broken promise that spring would arrive early this year.

But as astute legal observers have pointed out, no indictment has been forthcoming against Phil's Ohio colleague, Buckeye Chuck, who didn't see his shadow on Groundhog Day, either.

And frankly (though Gmoser likely will try to have this evidence suppressed), Phil has been predicting spring's arrival for 126 years and has been wrong way, way more often - 61 percent of the time - than he has been right.

Gmoser's selective, untimely prosecution is sure to lead to sharp questions from reporters and brilliantly insightful editorials about police competence and political motives. Only two things will result:

? As Phil very clearly is still kicking, The Onion will retract its March 18 story that disillusioned residents of Punxsutawney had beheaded him.

? Ohioans will realize yet again how gullible we are, as if Indians managers and Browns coaches haven't reminded us of it repeatedly over the past, oh, forever.

Like them, Punxsutawney Phil will get off scot-free. But we won't be fooled again. Right?

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Phil will live to lie another day

We hate to say it, because we would love to see this compulsive liar pay, but Punxsutawney Phil will never see the inside of a jail cell.